Eau Claire (WQOW) - Winter
arrived just in time for this year's Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. The
arthritis foundation's event took place on the UW-Eau Claire campus Saturday
morning with an eye on raising money and awareness for a disease that inflicts
one in five Americans.
Snow on the ground tends to put
people in the Christmas spirit, a spirit that is already abundant in those
involved with this years arthritis foundation's jingle bell run-walk for
arthritis.
"We work with the University,
we work with the Kinesiology club, and the UW Cross Country Team. They help us get the word out, raise
awareness not only at the college but also in the community. It's always great to have more of the holiday
spirit with the snow on the ground I think it gets people more in the mood and
a little more festive," says Special Events Manager Lindsey Kumlien.
This year's jingle bell honoree is Christa
Stabe.
"I have rheumatoid
arthritis which is the autoimmune disease, it went undiagnosed for three years,
and then I was not even on medication for about another four years after
that. I'm now medicated and happy and
healthy, but it's a struggle and there is a lot of people afflicted with it. That's why it is so near and dear to me to
raise money for such a good cause," says Stabe.
A cause that brought hundreds of
local people together to raise money and awareness to a disease that affects
millions of Americans.
"We have some reindeer in
the front, a little sleigh in the back.
We're just bringing up some Christmas spirit for a really good cause,"
says Drew Sternecker, who joined his friends in dressing up like Santa's sleigh
during the run.
The
proceeds from today's run benefit the arthritis foundation, whose programs help
the over 50 million Americans who are currently suffering from the disease.
